Ardour: A Retelling
by HaNsEaTiX
Summary: Just an age-old tale from a new perspective...
1. Prologue

Hey! Here's my attempt at retelling! Decided to jump on the bandwagon! Hope it's up to your standards! Disclaimer: I do not own any characters. From RK. Or from anywhere else. I own nothing. Maybe only the twists of this story I guess…

Ardour

Chapter 1

Quaint isn't it? In this seemingly ordinary village, where good, decent folk eke out a living, witches go unnoticed. Maybe they are just really skilled at casting their spells, working hard at formulating curses and potions stronger than previous ones… …You must be thinking: don't witches get together around cauldrons and chant eerie incantations in the dead of the night deep in the forest? Do witches even exist? Since they go unnoticed, you ask, it might just be my assumptions against your common sense. What proof do I have that they populate the village? Don't ask. Just look, just feel. Inhale. Exhale. How quaint…

* * *

'Ughh… Argh….' A young mother-to-be stands over the water closet behind her humble abode, throwing up all that she was worth. The churning motions of her stomach never cease to produce beads of perspiration lining her forehead. Her face is as pale as the petals of the fresh white flowers outside in their yard. Oh yes, she is the resident cultivator of this village. Her husband and her green thumbs are well known even outside of this little community, all the way to the Emperor's ears. The royal palace often makes their purchases at their corner stall, but now that she's pregnant, her husband tends the stall for her. Which explains his absence at this moment.

After much difficulty, she managed to manoeuvre herself out of the back room, into her house and eased herself down onto the rigid wooden chair that her husband laid out for her in the porch, so that she may enjoy some fresh breeze. Her keen eyes immediately darted out to her radish patch. 'The radishes are just not growing well this year' she thought, brows knitting, lips frowning.

You may wonder: it's perfectly fine for radishes not to be growing well at certain times of the year. Bad growing conditions, that's all. Should she not be more concerned for herself and her unborn child? Ahh… my dear, that is where you are mistaken. For her family's well being is hinged on this batch of radish harvest. The Emperor is hosting a grand banquet in two weeks' time, and they demand that she provide them with the radishes that the cooks will need. She groans. Oh, woe is she!

It was at this moment her husband came back to her.

Pulling back from their quick kiss, he smoothed her brows, "Why are you frowning so, my dear wife?"

"The radishes!" was her exclamation.

He frowned along with her. He knew that their deadline was nearing, that was why he spent the whole time at the market trying to buy radishes from other grocers. Problem was---you were right--- bad growing conditions caused this season's radishes to turn out sickly and small.

"What should we do?" she looked into his pensive face.

"I'm sure the cooks will understand, it's not our fault dear. This season's radishes just did not turn out well." He said with a faint shimmering of hope.

"But… but…" she started, but never finished since he silenced her protests with the best way he knew how.

* * *

It was during dusk when she saw them. Large, round succulent radishes, gleaming in the corner of her neighbour's small unkempt plot. The odd thing was, while the radishes were growing awfully well, the other vegetables were not, so to speak. It was almost as if the radishes were growing at the expense of the other crops, robbing them of their required nutrients and overcrowding them to a small area. She was ecstatic.

A little after dinner both husband and wife made their way down the little dirt path that leads to their neighbour's abode. Word has it that he (a/n: nope. no typing error, it's a HE all right) was an eccentric recluse that lives on his own. A few knocks later, the said neighbour greeted them with a pipe in his mouth and a very unfriendly glare.

"Well, are you going to say what you're here for or should I get a chair and make myself comfortable while you both are gaping?"

"We… We… ahh… we would like to buy your radishes…"

"I don't sell them."

"But we really need them! Can't you make an exception? The Emperor…"

SLAM! And that was the last they heard of each other, or so they thought…

* * *

"What a rogue!" huffed the wife. "Well, since he treats us so shabbily we should not be civilised to him either!"

"What are you up to now, my dear?" the husband rubbed his aching temple.

"I have a plan!" following that the whispering starts.

"WHAT! I can't do that! It's punishable by law!" he retorted.

"I never said we were going to STEAL! We will be purchasing, it's a fair trade, our vegetables for his radishes! And we're going to give him much more than what his radishes are worth!"

"But still…" He vacillated. She pleaded. He turns his head. She pleaded some more. He relents.

* * *

Saitou knew, since he saw. He sees a lot of things, visions he called them. He could see far, far into the future, and deep into the past, but to him, the future always matters so much more. He blew out his candle.

When he began to hear footsteps in his yard he backed up against his window, and took a peek outside to confirm what he saw. He decides to let his neighbour has his fun first; get his hopes up before he confronts him. What a sadist.

"Koshijirou! What do you think you're doing?" Saitou bellowed.

"I… don't get mistaken… was just trying to…"

"Excuses."

"No, please listen…"

"Shut up, you pilfering fool. I hope you realize that I could have you tried for thievery."

"NO! I was making a fair trade with you! See! I brought these vegetables in exchange for your radishes!"

"A fair trade eh? Would you be willing to trade anything I want in your household for those radishes?"

"Yes! Anything!" Koshijirou at this moment was too blinded by panic that he would be tried and executed for stealing, as was the norm in this era, and he readily agreed. Anything that will let him return home to his wife. "Except my wife!" he added as an afterthought.

"No, no … I wouldn't want your wife, fool." Saitou had the cheek to chortle. "Return, with the radishes. I accept your trade, and I'll be over to let you know what I want tomorrow." With that he disappeared into his shrouded house, leaving Koshijirou gasping with relief in Saitou's yard.

* * *

"I see you have finished the radishes already. My, my what a hearty appetite the pregnant woman has…"

"Shut up you barbarian, what do you want? I thought you already accepted our trade?"

"Ahh, yes, the trade, you remind me. I just want to modify the terms of trade a little. Now that you have taken the radishes, I'm here to claim my end of the deal…" Saitou ended in a drawl.

"What is it that you want?" Koshijirou spoke up.

"I want your daughter."

She fainted.

* * *

There was nothing they could do. It was either giving up their daughter or executing Koshijirou. A tough choice, but as a wife, she knew where her duties lie. Her husband, she knew, would rather die than let his daughter fall into the hands of Saitou that lowlife, but, they could have as many children as they want in the future, if only Koshijirou was around. A tough choice, but she already made her decision.

The day that Kaoru was born, there was chaos in the household of the Kamiyas. They did not have to make any decision in the end, all was clear. Saitou knew this as well. That was why he was so confident when he made this demanding request, all along understanding that he will come out the winner in the end. The cooks, after checking their stock of radishes, were outraged that the Kamiyas sent an inferior quality of radishes, passing them off as top-grade. As the council mages detected a faint whiff of illusionary spells emitted by those radishes, the Court deemed that the Kamiyas were a scheming bunch that cast spells on their produce to cheat the honest folks of the village. They were arrested. Having no choice they decided to give Kaoru over to Saitou, much as Koshijirou hated it, there was no other way.

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* * *

Ahh! 1st chapter! How do you all like it? Clever readers as you all are must have guessed which story is this a retelling of right? Haha… do drop me a review and tell me how you think about it yah?

And yes, Saitou is the 'witch' of the story… just can't think of any evil female villains in RK (Yumi's been used too often). Hope you all won't mind this twist! Well that's what retellings are about anyway…Next update will be after the exams period…

Here's a little teaser for you from the next chapter…

"Kaoru, Kaoru… What a nice name you have." Saitou touched the newborn's cheek lightly. Kaoru made a giggling sound.

Till then


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Yeah. I don't own the characters. Not even the whole plot. Just part of it. Credit still goes to the original owners.

Ardour

Chapter 2

Everything was very much settled. In his arms was the Kamiya's baby daughter, and on his face was a rather satisfied smirk.

He successfully procured the key of his schemes.

"Kaoru, Kaoru… What a nice name you have." Saitou touched the newborn's cheek lightly. Kaoru made a giggling sound.

"You can thank your parents for naming you so well, or else you would have to make do with the corny names that I would have come up with, like Rapunzel."

* * *

Saitou took care of Kaoru like a normal guardian would. She calls him Papa, as any child would. He provides for her, clothe and fed her, and she, in return, obeys him unconditionally. Love between father and daughter, sadly was often one-sided. Saitou refused to love this child, and on rare occasions when he did, he would regret his actions and be aloof for weeks after. 

Kaoru spent most of her childhood staring outside her window. Unlike other children, she was mostly shunned, not because of her seemingly eccentric father, but strangely; it was because of her 'non-existent' mother. Most held the belief that Saitou was cheated by that conniving woman and he was at the receiving end of the town's sympathies. His oddities were accredited to the trauma caused by his woman's betrayal and he was more than glad to keep his silence on the matter. He can live with it. Anything to keep the villagers' prying eyes away and poking noses shut out.

While other children played, she looked on. From that daily routine, she learnt the rules of many games. She knew how to play hide-and-seek, tag, but most of all; she loved the game of blind man's bluff.

This particular game, it appealed to her; she could be the 'blind man' and being blindfolded, she may not see the world and along with it all their putrid accusations and vicious looks. All will be effectively blocked out, leaving only good, clean fun for her and other children. Oh, please don't get her wrong; it's not that she abhors the ability to see. She just wanted moments of escape, whilst among people. Well, even if she did not get to be the 'blind man', she would have been contented if she were allowed into the game, into the circle of shrieking and giggling children; it just seemed so much fun to her, but for now, she could only watch.

The years of her innocence were spent in such a manner, with her being the silent outcast and the other children ridiculing her at their parents' instigations. She did try to mix with the other children, but her efforts were often in vain since they would not let her in their cliques, believing that she's a jinx like what their mamas told them and not afraid to voice out their thoughts.

"Jinx! Get away from us jinx! Mama says you've got illnesses!" they would say.

She ran away dejected, tears flowing freely.

From then on, she decided that it was best for her not to try and play with the children in her village.

Many winters passed, and without having me to mention, all of you can see for yourselves how baby Kaoru had grown. Long raven black hair restrained by a simple ribbon into a ponytail, with tendrils framing her delicate but pale face. Her most striking feature has to be her attractive blue eyes, which never fails to capture the attention of others.

Saitou now grows his famous radishes, along with various assortments of other fruits and vegetables, even flowers if the season permits. All with the help of young Kaoru, who seemed to have inherited the knack of cultivation from both her parents. Saitou became one of the best-loved grocers in town because of his fresh and crisp harvest.

Who paddles the produce at the marketplace then? Definitely not Saitou you muse, since he would have scared off most of his potential clients. The important task thus fell on beloved Kaoru's shoulder.

Once a week, Kaoru would carry the groceries down to the marketplace using a cart, and peddles (A/N: many thanks to Mip the Demon Fox for pointing out that hilarious error!I am so embarrassed. It was previously 'paddles')her wares at her designated spot. You would be thinking, by now, whether Kaoru gets any customers at all, since she is not exactly adored by her fellow villagers, but on the contrary, her business was often brisk, and she managed to sell all her groceries by the end of the day. This baffling situation arisen from the idea that poor, defenceless Saitou needs all the help he can get, and what better way to help him than swallowing their distaste for the girl and purchasing Saitou's vegetables and guaranteeing him a stable income, though it is not exactly a chore purchasing them, since his vegetables and fruits are often fresher than most. Few would admit that out loud though, most of the villagers often quote 'helping Saitou out' as the reason rather than acknowledging the superior quality of the produce, fearing that Kaoru would turn proud and haughty in the marketplace.

At the marketplace, the noisy and vibrant marketplace, not only can you hear haggles and price quotations, the latest gossip and the most jarring rumours run amok too.

"That girl, she just mysteriously appeared the day that the Kamiyas were arrested… What a jinx…"

"…Her mother's from a foreign land…"

"… seduced poor Saitou-san! That defenceless man could not withstand her aggressive advances…"

"What a wanton woman!"

"Maybe that's why he's so aloof and indifferent now, had a terrible experience with women…"

"Hey, hey, hear this, I heard that her mother, after giving birth to her, ran away with another man! What a promiscuous woman! I'll wager that her daughter must have inherited some shameless traits from that slut of a mother…"

She winced. Well that was a new low. After many years she had long learnt how to ignore pointing fingers, insinuating side-glances and controlled whispers. Market gossips were almost her only source of information about her mother, since her father always seemed to evade the topic of her Mama, and evade well he did.

She never understood why her fellow villagers did not tire of gossiping about her, for close to about sixteen years now. Probably nothing as interesting and disrupting ever occurred in their peaceful and rural village for ages now, since the Kamiyas' capture. People were always never satisfied with their calm and paced lives. They need ripples in their still waters.

She resumed her chopping.

* * *

"That'll be seven coins madam," said Kaoru. 

"…" Seven coins were thrown onto the counter.

"Thank you madam." Uttered Kaoru.

She proceeded to carefully place her money in her apron pocket, entirely missing the group of hooligans marching up to her.

"Hey whore! Come here and tell me what your charges are like! By the hour?"

The groupies of the said leader sniggered.

"…"

"What's the matter you whore? Mute? I'll have to deduct your charges accordingly then!" the gruff-looking man boomed. His gang were doubling over by now.

"…"

"How dare she ignore me? Smash her little stall!" was the command given that caused a furore in the marketplace.

From the second floor of a reputable inn, the group of men looked down at the commotion happening at the marketplace.

"Another of those ruffians' brawl. Nothing I can't handle. All in a days' work, my men!" Gulping down the last of his tea, Sanosuke proceeded to head down the stairs, only to be stopped by his henchman midway.

"Sir! A report has been made that the neighbouring triads are targeting our granary! They are attempting to torch the place! Your immediate attention is required there Sir!"

"Blast it! How about the brawl below?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Run along to the granary then." His friend answered.

"Sure, I'll leave it to you then. Go down and don't let your wimpy nobleman's ass get kicked!" Sanosuke joked half-heartedly. Even though his pal here is a nobleman, his skills were far more superior than Sanosuke's own battalion combined. He just liked to make fun of his friend's noble blood.

"… …" The butt of the 'nobleman' joke decided to counter it with nonchalance.

He speedily made his way down after leaving some money on the table for the tea, seeing that his friend the famous 'freeloader' ran off without paying, again.

Upon reaching the source of commotion, he stood rooted to his ground, his mouth agape.

* * *

"A whore then, you say?" Kaoru arched her perfect eyebrow. 

"Through and through." The chief agreed.

At that, Kaoru sashayed to the man in a provocative manner, taking deliberate and calculated steps, steps meant to entice and seduce, licking her lips for good measure.

The man was as good as hooked; not only the man, but also the rest of the male folks that populated the marketplace as well, the newcomer included.

Wrapping her arms around the stump of a neck the guy possessed she breathed into his ear.

"We'll see how you handle this, whore." She spat, and proceeded to chomp down on his ear, drawing first blood.

"LET GO! You bitch!"

"Not unless if you pay for my damages first you bastard!"

_'So this lady has a fiery temper, eh?'_ thought the swordsman, whose eyes already flickered amber due to the interlude of ensnaring a while ago.

"Not any closer, or else his ear will really come off!" She announced to his groupies.

Her grip on his neck turned deadly. The cowardly leader, fearing for his life, immediately ordered all his men to back off and when they did, an audible sigh was heard.

At this point in time the commotion became the focal point of the entire market. Crowds were gathering, chattering. Kaoru understood that this negative episode will worsen her already challenged image of herself among her fellow villagers, but seeing that she did not have many other alternatives, she chose the lesser of the evils.

"Who says she is not the daughter of her mother?"

"Oh my, already putting her inherited traits to good use!"

It took all that to distract her from her hostage, the rushes of blood to her head made her lose her composure.

This ultimately gave the pathetic excuse of a leader a chance to finally pry her off, and pry her off he did, which resulted in her falling ungracefully onto the dirt.

"Why you…"

Expecting some half-witted retort from the leader or a haul by the neck or something equivalent, Kaoru was shocked to feel the entire market hushing after a collected gasp.

Feeling the brush of cold steel against his neck, the leader started whimpering all over again.

"Move not, die not" was the cold command given.

"Pl---ease p---lea---se just let me go! I'll give you anything, ANYTHING you want! Just spare my life, merciful one! Tell me what do you want now, and I'll have my men get it for you with haste! I SWEAR!" The leader was close to hysterical.

The swordsman actually seemed to be deep in consideration for a moment, but unlike Kaoru, his hold on his hostage did not slack.

_'What I wouldn't give to have the lady in front of me right now' _was the actual thought that flickered through his mind.

"No! Stop!" hollered Kaoru. Her already deducted reputation did not need blood on her hands to add as a permanent record. "Just let him go. I'm quite sure he would not dare to harass me or anyone here for quite a while."

"No."

"I said LET THE CAD GO!"

A firm shake of the head.

This bodes ill. If this man dies because of her, her villagers will slap on her the title of a murderer, above others.

With that in mind Kaoru charged at the man with the sword and in a somewhat awkward attempt, made a grab for his weapon with her two hands and threw her weight against the somewhat petite man to throw him off his balance. This gave the whiner the lucky break he needed, and he scurried off like what he was, a common rodent.

The man and woman in question both fell onto the ground, in a heap of red and ebony.

* * *

Well, decided to stop here! 

Please give me some comments dear readers!

Review response:

To nashi

Thanks a lot for leaving a review! My exams are finally over, but I'm quite sure that they were trashy. Bleah. But your review did perk me up! And I hope you will continue to enjoy the story and do not hesitate to correct me or anything! Tell me what you like, what you hate, so I can improve! Many thanks!

Till next time!


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